Trump launches $15 billion defamation lawsuit against New York Times

United States (U.S.) President Donald Trump has filed a $15 defamation lawsuit against the New York Times alleging the publication of false information and allegedly favouring the Democratic Party.

According to the form submitted in a Florida district court on Monday night, 15 September, 2025, the action targets several articles and a book written by New York Times journalists Susanne Craig and Russ Buettner. 

The complaint claims these publications, released ahead of the 2024 election, contained “false and scandalous” statements about the chairman.

The case also cites reports connected to a birthday note linked to the late Jeffrey Epstein. The note, which carried Trump’s hand alongside a crude delineation, was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. Trump has denied penning the note but has launched legal conduct against multiple outlets that published it.

The action accuses the New York Times of undermining journalistic norm and engaging in election hindrance. It highlights the paper’s countersign of Popular seeker Kamala Harris in the last presidential race, differing it with other outlets similar as the Washington Post, which chose not to endorse any candidate.

Trump’s legal team is seeking damages of no lower than $15 billion. The New York Times has not yet issued a response.

The action follows analogous high value cases Trump has filed against major associations since his return to the White House former lawsuits have been directed at ABC News, George Stephanopoulos, Paramount, and the Wall Street Journal. Some of these cases ended in multimillion- dollar settlements while remain ongoing.

In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump stated that he believes the New York Times has engaged in biased reporting. He contended the outlet has engaged in decades of false reporting about him, his family, and the “America First” movement.

The complaint also references the book "How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success", claiming its publication was vicious and deliberately false. Penguin Random House, the book’s publisher, has not responded.

This isn’t first time Trump has taken legal action against the New York Times. A 2016 action linked to Russian election hindrance content was dismissed, while a 2018 case regarding his family’s duty records was thrown out by a New York judge in 2023.